Window Boarding in Epsom
A broken window leaves your home or business open to weather and intruders. Our window boarding in Epsom closes that gap with a properly fitted board until the glass can be replaced. A person answers the phone 24 hours a day, and we attend at nights, weekends and bank holidays. On the call we’ll work out arrival from your postcode and give you a free, clear quote before any work starts.
When window boarding is the right step
Board up a broken window when it can’t be locked, closed or kept weathertight until a glazier can fit new glass. Common reasons include:
- A pane smashed during a break-in or attempted break-in
- A window cracked or shattered by a stray ball, a fall or storm debris
- Glass that has failed and is loose in the frame
- Windows damaged once the fire service has handed a property back
- Ground-floor windows on a property that’s about to stand empty
If the door or shop glazing is also damaged, our door boarding service covers forced doors, frames and locks, and we can secure both on the same visit. If you need someone tonight, go to our 24-hour emergency boarding page.
How to keep a broken window safe until we arrive
Securing a broken window yourself usually means handling glass, and that’s where people get hurt. Until we’re with you:
- Keep everyone, especially children and pets, away from the window and the floor beneath it.
- Leave glass that’s still hanging in the frame where it is. It can drop without warning.
- Shut the internal door to that room if you can, to keep out draughts and rain.
- If there’s been a break-in, report it to the police and keep the crime reference number. Then contact your insurer.
- Photograph the damage only if you can do it from a safe distance.
Don’t climb a ladder to reach an upper-floor window. Tell us about it on the call and we’ll plan the access.
Materials: plywood and OSB
Most window boarding we fit uses exterior-grade plywood, typically 18mm. It handles damp weather well and is hard to force, so it suits a ground-floor window that’s an obvious way in. On smaller openings, such as a toilet window or a small fanlight, OSB can be a sensible choice.
We’ll suggest the board that fits the opening and the risk. A small first-floor window over a rear garden doesn’t need the same specification as a large front bay at street level. You’ll know what’s being fitted and why before we start.
Fixings, frames and older windows
How a board is fixed matters as much as the board itself.
- Security or anti-tamper fixings make it much harder for someone to unscrew the board from outside. We use them where an opening is exposed or easy to reach.
- Non-destructive fixing keeps damage to the frame to a minimum when the frame is sound enough to take it. That makes life easier for the glazier who comes next.
Some frames are too damaged to hold a board securely as they are. Rotten timber, a split uPVC profile or a frame wrenched out of position all need a conversation first. We’ll explain the options, what each one involves and how it affects the quote, and you decide before we fix anything.
Older windows need care. Epsom’s town centre conservation area, which takes in the High Street and parts of West Street, South Street, Waterloo Road, Ashley Avenue and Upper High Street, includes many listed buildings and Regency, Victorian and Edwardian frontages. If your building is listed or has original timber windows, tell us on the call. Where the frame allows, we’ll use a fixing method that limits marks on the original joinery.
What happens on the visit
The van carries boarding stock and fixings, so we can usually complete straightforward window boarding on the first visit. A typical visit runs like this:
- Look and photograph. We check the opening and take time-stamped “before” photographs.
- Make the area safe. We clear loose or hanging glass from the frame and deal with debris around the window, inside and out, as agreed.
- Measure and cut. We cut the board to fit the opening so there are no gaps to lever at.
- Fix and check. We fix the board using the agreed method and check it’s secure and weathertight.
- Photograph again. We take time-stamped “after” photographs of the finished boarding.
For a shop window or larger glazed frontage, see our shopfront boarding service. Planning for big panes and commercial premises is a bit different.
What you receive
When we leave, you’ll have:
- Every agreed window boarded and secure
- Glass and debris made safe as agreed
- An itemised invoice
- Time-stamped before and after photographs
- A written statement of the work done
That paperwork is what most insurers ask for. Your insurer decides what’s covered, and we’re not loss adjusters, but clear records make the conversation easier. Our insurance claims guide explains what to keep.
Boarding is a make-safe, and it does that job well. It keeps the property secure and dry while you arrange new glazing or repairs with a glazier, at a pace that suits you and your insurer.
What affects the quote
We’ll give you the quote on the call, free and clear, before any work starts. It depends on:
- Number and size of windows. One small pane is a different job from several large openings.
- Height and access. Upper floors, windows over conservatories or extensions, and anything needing ladders take more planning.
- Materials and board thickness. These depend on the size of the opening and how exposed it is.
- Fixing method. Security and anti-tamper fixings, or non-destructive fixing on older frames.
- Frame condition. A badly damaged frame may need securing or discussion before boarding.
- Glass and debris. How much broken glass needs making safe.
Safe photographs taken from a distance help us get the quote right first time. For more on how we price, see our pricing page.
Areas we cover
We board windows across Epsom and surrounding neighbourhoods. We also cover Stoneleigh, Langley Vale and Epsom Downs, subject to confirming your address on the call.
Get your window boarded
Tell us your postcode, how many windows are damaged, roughly how big they are and which floor they’re on. Send safe photographs if you can, and we’ll talk through access and give you a clear quote before any work starts.